Research

Section Herpetology

Research projects of the Herpetology Section

Current Research Subjects

  • Systematic revision and taxonomy of Malagasy amphibians and reptiles (in cooperation with F. Andreone, A. Aumüller, A. Bauer, P. Bora, J. E. Cadle, N. D’Cruze, I. De la Riva, M. Franzen, P. S. Gehring, A. Greer, R. B. Jenkins, J. Köhler, C. Kucharzewski, R. M. Lehtinen, V. Mercurio, A. Miralles, Z. Nagy, M. Pabijan, M. Puente, C. Randrianantoandro, A. Raselimanana, F. Ratsoavina, D. Vallan, M. Vences, D. R. Vieites, V. Wallach)
  • Systematic, biogeography and conservation status of the herpetofauna of the Comoro Archipelago and Pemba Island, including the use of GIS and ecological niche modelling (in cooperation mit O. Hawlitschek, J. Berger, B. Brückmann, D. Rödder)
  • Molecular phylogeny and phylogeography of Malagasy amphibians and reptiles (in cooperation with A. Crottini, J. Harris, Z. Nagy, D. Posada, S. Rocha, A. Schmitz, T. Townsend, K. A. Tolley, M. Vences, D. Vieites, K. Wollenberg)
  • DNA Barcoding of the reptiles of Madagascar, the herpetofauna of the Comoro archipelago and the herpetofauna of Germany (in cooperation with J. Berger, O. Hawlitschek, Z. Nagy, S. Schmidt, M. Vences)
  • Bioacoustics and call evolution in Malagasy and African anurans (in cooperation with J. Glos, I. Irisarri, R.-D. Randrianiaina, E. Reeve, D. San Mauro, M. Vences, R. Zardoya)
  • Herpetological inventories of selected areas in Madagascar (in cooperation with F. Andreone, P. Bora, N. d’Cruze, R. K. B. Jenkins, J. Köhler, S. Megson, C. Randrianantoandro, M. Vences)
  • Larval morphology and genetic identification of tadpoles (in cooperation with M. Glos, S. Grosjean, O. Jovanovic, A. Lelonkiewicz, C. Preuss, L. Raharivololoniaina, R.-D. Randrianiaina, A. Strauss, M. Teschke, M. Vences)
  • Assessment of the conservation status of Malagasy reptiles as part of the “Global Reptile Assessment” (in cooperation with numerous international scientists)
  • Potential threat of Malagasy amphibians by chytridiomycosis (in cooperation with J. Kielgast, S. Lötters, D. Rödder)
  • Systematics of selected geckos from Africa and Asia (in cooperation with H. Rösler)

Currently financed projects

Conservation and Sustainable Use of Amphibians in Madagascar: Integrating Species and Area Priority Assessments with a Standardization of Monitoring Techniques

together with M. Vences, N. Raminosoa and L. du Preez, finanzed through the Volkswagen Stiftung

Distribution, conservation status and systematics of the reptiles of the Comoro Archipelago.

together with O. Hawlitschek, finanzed through the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund